


Mysterious Messages, Glittering Stages

by calore



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Kpop, F/F, F/M, Gen, This is gna be Once of those mc x everyone fics with no resolution only Chaos, bc like. i needed an mc and hana was Right There, from then fun ensues, hana is a disaster bisexual, hana is a trainee who joins by accident lol, heres the kpop au NO ONE asked for but like.... i b thinking, i have no idea what I’m doing can u tell, i mean... theres love. which is Kinda messy in This setting, jaehee is... well. she's jaehee, mostly based on the webtoon by accident, rfa r a kpop group, so here ya go :), this shit reads like cringy kpop fic except fuck rpf, zen and yoosung just want love :(
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2020-08-05
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:08:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25611091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/calore/pseuds/calore
Summary: When Hana Kang, an undervalued yet hardworking trainee, got suddenly kicked out of her company, she believed her life was over. That is, until a conversation with a beautiful, compassionate stranger, who left nothing but a phone behind. In a mission to give it back, she gets connected to a stranger through an app on the phone, who sends her to a mysterious apartment.She then gets thrown into the whirlwind that is Mystic Messenger, a tragedy-ridden Idol group with eccentric members. Determined to bring the group back from the ashes, she becomes their new creative voice. In the two months of comeback preparation, Hana discovers a new side to herself as she gets closer to her groupmates. But danger is always looming at Mystic Messenger's back... Will their explosive return to the music scene be successful? Or will it all go down in flamesIt's all in Hana's hands now.
Relationships: 707 | Choi Luciel & Kim Yoosung, 707 | Choi Luciel/Main Character, Han Jumin & Kang Jaehee, Kang Hana/Rika, Kang Jaehee & Zen | Ryu Hyun, Kang Jaehee/Kang Hana, Kang Jaehee/Main Character (Mystic Messenger), Kim Yoosung/Kang Hana, Kim Yoosung/Main Character, Zen | Ryu Hyun/Main Character, Zen/Kang Hana
Kudos: 7





	1. A Sunbeam In The Dark

**Author's Note:**

> fuck it mysme kpop au none of yall can stop me

Hana didn’t know for how long she’d been crying. She didn’t even know how she had any tears left… the throbbing of her head and tightness of her face muscles told her it had been a while. She couldn’t be sure how long, though. Time didn’t matter to her anymore. It could’ve been hours or mere minutes… it certainly felt like it had been one second ago, when Chaewon said those words.

“I’m sorry, but you won’t be able to train here anymore”.

The woman’s voice, detached yet slightly apologetic, haunted Hana’s entire mind, replaying over and over again. It was the background music to a supercut of Hana’s now impossible future: stage lights and booming voices, pristine practice rooms and days upon days of dancing, a lifetime doing the thing she loved most, perhaps the only thing she could do well. It had seemed so close, for so long… it had seemed possible. But now, it suddenly wasn’t. 

Now, she was back to being the desolate orphan girl with no way out. No formal education that could get her a stable job. No talent to get her anywhere. Sure, she had whatever financial aid the government was able to provide… but that was never much. She had no way of becoming someone.

She could keep on dancing, maybe… but now Hana wondered if she had ever been good at all. Because, if she was good enough, then she wouldn’t have been kicked out, right? Maybe they took her in out of pity, after all. Maybe she never improved, and they’d all lied to her. She must have not been talented enough… Hana knew one thing, and that was that if you worked hard enough, you could get anywhere you wanted. And she’d worked hard. She knew that, there was no doubt about it. The number of nights she’d stayed overtime at the studio to perfect a routine, or not sleeping and studying a song to get it right… She had worked hard. 

Then, why did she fail anyway?

“Please do not think this is because we do not appreciate your talents, because we very much do… but I’m sure you’re aware of the major losses the company has been facing. We’ve been forced to cut off a bunch of staff, trainees, artists, management, and production alike. Unfortunately, we’re unable to keep those trainees whom we don’t have any plans for. That is all. I hope you understand.”

Hana did understand. She could somewhat see why the company wouldn’t have any plans for her. While she was a good dancer, versatile and quick-learning, she wasn't the most well-rounded. There was definitely a dancer as good as her who could sing as well. If only she’d prioritized vocal training more, that could be her. Damn it. She should have practiced harder.

A sob makes its way out of her mouth at the thought. Her eyes stray, looking around the subway station she found herself in. So this is what it’s all come to. 

She barely even remembers how she got here. Once Chaewon had delivered the tragic news, she’d said something along the lines of “alright, I understand,” and stormed off, grabbing her large backpack, and keeping her composure until she’d left the building. Her mind was numb as she mechanically walked to the nearest metro station. It was numb when she bought a ride and got on the first train, she didn't even know where it would take her. The world existed in a subdued state, every single sound deafened by the white noise of shock in her mind. Until she wasn’t able to hold it in, feeling the tears coming like an avalanche. She’d left the train, ran to a corner where no one would notice her, and cried until every single feeling had spilled out. 

She looks at the entrance of the station. Golden light came from it. It was going to be dark soon. Damn, so it had been a while. She should get going. She can’t stay here forever, she should go somewhere. Anywhere. 

So, Hana gets moving. She exits the station, into a busy street from what she recognizes as a very nice part of town. Elegant shops and great office buildings line up around her. She doesn’t look around much. Instead, she walks forward, letting herself be carried by the crowd. Left then right and into another street, she sees a bakery and wonders when she’d eaten last. She can’t remember, she isn’t hungry anyway. She eyes the couples and friend groups blissfully enjoying each other’s company, wishing she, too, was laughing and loved and relaxed. She doesn’t linger for long, though. She has to keep going. 

She does until she thinks: Where am I even going to?

Hana stops in her tracks. She had nowhere to go. No one to go to. No place that would shelter her (well, maybe the orphanage would, but that would be embarrassing and awkward), no person she could ask for help. Maybe she could fend off staying at a motel for a few nights if she was lucky enough to get any job, but… then? 

The full reality of the situation finally hit her. She was truly desolate. Her worst fear had come true. 

For the second time in a day, Hana breaks down. Her knees hit the ground, chest crouching as her breathing goes ragged from the panic rising. This time, the tears don’t come. Won’t come. To no avail, she tries getting her lungs to work, her body to move, but instead, the invisible restraints tighten, turning her blood to stone. She heaves, crying out with some part of her soul, hoping somebody, somewhere, is listening. Deep down, she knows no one is.

“Are you okay?”

When Hana looks up at where the voice came from, part of her thinks she’s seeing an angel. The woman before her must be the most beautiful person Hana has ever seen, with light reflecting off her long, golden locks, and green eyes holding nothing but kindness. Hana is speechless. 

She speaks again. “Can you stand?” Her hand reaches out, and Hana takes it. Her fingers are warm, her grip steady. Safe. “Let’s go to that bench over there to see if you’re alright.”

Her voice… was like honey, warm and welcoming and soft, unlike the bitterness Hana was used to. She was the warm sunbeam to Hana’s dark, empty world. The tears come back all at once, stronger than before. The woman doesn’t bother much, only muttering a pitying “oh, my…” and handing Hana a handkerchief to dry her tears. She thanks her through sobs. 

“I-- I’m sorry,” Hana chokes out, once they’re seated, “you probably didn’t expect me to start crying like this.”

The woman only smiles. “I’m fine,” she reassures.

Hana breathes out. Her comfort is exactly what she needed. It brings out every frustration, every worry that she’s kept hidden for the past few hours and beyond. Her presence is a sanctuary. It says ‘you’re allowed to feel, you’re allowed to cry. Do not worry. Everything will be alright.’ 

So, she voices it all out. “I thought things would change if I worked hard enough… I was probably frustrated because I couldn’t solve things with pure effort. I don’t understand why this life is so difficult.”

The woman only nods, and slips her fingers through Hana’s, saying I’m here. 

“You must have been through such hard times,” she whispers, eyes downcast. Then, with a kind smile and an even kinder look, “I believe talking about it is also a difficult thing to do. You’ve worked so hard.”

Hana is taken aback by her excessive kindness, and a choked-up sob escapes her. Why is this person so friendly? Hana blinks a few times, partly to get the tears away, partly to confirm she is real. 

“I’m not really the type to talk about these things…”

“I know!”

Hana giggles. “For real…”

The woman smiles. Then, taking her hand back, she says, “ I’m sorry I can’t stay with you for longer, I have to go now.” She sounded truly apologetic. 

Shame climbs up Hana’s body, and she straightens. “Oh, I probably kept you for too long. I’m so sorry.” Her cheeks are burning. 

Standing up to go, the blond turns back to Hana. “If you’re sorry, will you do me a favor?” 

Hana looks up at her, and she grins. “Next time, please listen to my story. I think you and I can be good friends.”

A soft breath leaves Hana, her blush growing. She would love to be friends with someone as kind, as beautiful as her. “If… if you’re okay with me… of course.”

She watches the woman fade away, yet her warmth lingers. Hana blinks a couple of times, realizing the feeling of gloom from before is almost gone entirely. Now, she feels like she can carry on. She will be okay. She’s got a friend now. Though she didn’t get the girl’s name, nor did she get hers. She’d looked somewhat familiar, but it's not uncommon for girls as pretty as her to be all over commercials and magazines. Maybe fate would dictate them to meet again, but for now, Hana was okay. 

She stands up to go. As she starts walking, though, something stops her: the woman had forgotten her phone. At least, Hana thinks it’s her phone… Picking it up, she looks around for traces of her but doesn’t find any. So, she walks forward, where she saw her go. No trace of her still. After a few minutes, Hana stops walking. She looks down at the phone, thinking how despaired the woman might feel, believing her phone had been lost or stolen… Hana decides she was giving it back. As a thank-you. She needed to.


	2. Mysterious Messages

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which the whole prologue shit goes down. 
> 
> Chats are taken from Chapter 2 from "Invitation of Mystic Messenger."

The phone had no information on its owner, to Hana’s surprise. There was absolutely nothing. No uCloud account in the settings, no call records nor contact info, no social media apps, no SIM card… not even a passcode, which is very strange. Hana thinks, for a quick second, that maybe the girl wanted her to find the phone, but dismisses the idea quickly. If anything, maybe she was more panicked because she’d lost her new phone, which makes Hana’s mission of giving it back much more urgent. 

That’s when she sees an app she knows not to be one of the stock uPhone ones: it was called “messenger”, with a black icon and a yellow envelope. Tentatively, Hana opens it, as questions pop into her head. What kind of messenger was it? Why was it so plain, with no brand logo or anything? She was hoping to find some sort of profile upon opening it, but a login screen opens instead. The app seems to be new too. For a second, Hana panics. Trying to log in would be impossible, she doesn’t even know the person’s name. Then, an idea comes to her, and she decides to tap the “New user” option. She figured she could maybe send messages to someone using the app, maybe that way she’d find the girl’s info. 

But the app seems impossible to use. The main screen said “CONTACTS” at the top, though there were no profiles. Then under that, was a thing that said “CHAT LOG”, and under it, a button to start a new chat. If she slid her finger to the side she could see her profile and a thing for what she supposed were private messages. 

Humming in confusion, Hana decides to open a new chat, send some messages to see what happens. After sending a “Hello? Anyone there?” she holds her breath, staring intently at the phone screen. 

There is no reply.

“This is strange…” Hana whispers to herself. She locks the phone and looks around at the now less busy street. It seemed that now all she could do was wait for a reply. So, she stands idle for a few more instants. After what might be a little too long (enough for people to give her weird looks, why as that girl just standing there?), she sighs and gives up on finding the owner… for now. She’d go find a place to stay for the night and try again tomorrow. It was getting late, anyway. 

Then, the phone screen lights up. 

MESSENGER  
Unknown: …?

MESSENGER  
Unknown: Can you see this?

Hana’s heart drops to her feet, drowning out every sound. Her eyes widen. There’s a reply! With quick fingers, she opens the app and types “yes, I can. Do you know who this phone belongs to? I happened to pick it up by chance, I really want to return it to its owner. If you know them, can you help me find the owner of the phone?”

Unknown replies immediately. “Of course I can help. Go to the address I’m about to send you.”

Hana grins, shocked at the helpful stranger. But then, she thinks, isn’t this a little suspicious? They’re immediately sending me an address… She frowns, considering her options. She doesn’t have any other. So, she types, “Ok, I’ll try that! Thank you for helping me.”

The apartment is, thankfully, not that far away. Just a few blocks forward and Hana is standing in front of what might be the most luxurious apartment complex she’s ever seen, mouth agape in naive disbelief that people actually live in places like these. She walks in, going up to the floor Unknown said the apartment was in. A feeling of dread and maybe even fear settles upon her shoulder as she approaches the unit. It has a password lock. 

I’ll just call 112 if something seems fishy, she tells herself before ringing the doorbell. 

A couple of seconds pass. No one answers. Hana frowns. Then, swallowing the lump of fear forming in her throat, she rings again. 

No answer again. Hana takes out her phone, decides to tell Unknown about the situation. 

He answers with “I’ll send you the code. Try it.”

Sweat forms in Hana’s brow. Her hands clutch the phone tighter. Code?

Reluctantly, Hana starts typing the numbers Unknown sends. Dread rises in her spine. The idea of just entering a stranger’s house seems… off, she can’t know what she’ll find inside. 

Hana tries the handle. It unlocks. She gapes softly, surprised it worked. Slowly, she enters the house, phone in hand. 

“Excuse me… is anyone home?” 

She’s met with silence, yet decides to look around. Her eyes widen at the large, modern studio apartment. It’s a place Hana would like to live in, anyone would, really. 

Her phone then starts vibrating. Looking down, she almost jumps in shock. Messages flood her screen, being sent in quick succession by multiple people. She reads their names on the top of her screen: 707, Hana Kang, Jaehee Kang, Jumin Han, Yoosung, V, ZEN. 

“What…” Hana whispers, not being able to react to the texts. The subject of their conversation is, apparently, her mysterious entrance. 

707: Wait, her location…  
707: she’s in Rika’s apartment.   
Yoosung: RIKA’S APARTMENT??!  
ZEN: What??  
Jaehee Kang: It’s classified, so we don’t even know where it is…  
ZEN: How did this person get there?!

Hana looks around in shock. Classified?! Why is this place classified… Frantic, she types “who are you people?!”

Yoosung: That’s exactly what we want to ask!

Hana’s breathing quickens as she explains her situation. 

Hana Kang: How did I get invited to this group chat?!  
Hana Kang: I was talking to a person called unknown,  
Hana Kang: where did he go…  
Jumin Han: Unknown?  
ZEN: did he not set up his screen name?  
Hana Kang: What is going on???  
707: Like I said, the IP is from Rika’s apartment…  
707: WAIT.  
707: Are you a hacker?!  
707: But that’s not possible if I’m here!!

Hana shakes her head, questions rising in her head faster than she can type them.

ZEN: Maybe she’s one of our fans?

Hana’s brows furrow at his message. “One of their fans… “who are these people?” she whispers to herself. Her brain looks over their names, searching for something familiar. When she recognizes two of them, her hand goes to her mouth faster than the squeal of shock can escape her. This can’t be… How?!

Hana Kang: Wait, I’m not…!  
Hana Kang: I just came to find the owner of this phone!  
Yoosung: Huh? All of Rika’s stuff should be with V…  
Yoosung: You didn’t lose them, did you?  
707: There’s not a lot of info since it’s Rika’s phone.   
707: How did she even get into the apartment?  
707: I checked the building’s CCTV footage and confirmed she’s a lady.   
Hana Kang: Me?!  
707: And a cute one at that!  
ZEN: wait   
ZEN: so it’s a girl? 

Hana looks around frantically, searching for any cameras in the apartment. She can’t find any, which doesn’t help the chills in the back of her neck. Not trusting her legs to keep standing, she plops down on a chair next to a kitchen counter, left to the door. 

Yoosung: :eyesemoji:   
Yoosung: omg!!! A girl?!  
Jaehee Kang: Boys, come on...  
Jaehee Kang: :sighemoji:  
707: There’s only one video of her walking in from the phone, so she must still be inside.   
Yoosung: omg u saw her seven?!?:!:$/  
ZEN: Dude…   
ZEN: Show us the photo!! You said she’s cute!   
707: lololol no   
707: I have to respect her privacy >_<   
ZEN: lolol who are u to say anything about privacy.   
707: plus, I’m only allowed to share this info with v lol.   
Yoosung: :sighemoji:   
Yoosung: you always only share these kind of things with V… 

Hana’s heart quickens, threatening to explode out of her chest. Who the hell is V?! Where the hell is the owner of the phone?

V: She doesn’t seem like a dangerous person, so I’ll meet her in person.   
V: Miss Hana, let’s meet at the restaurant next to the apartment in 30 minutes.  
Hana Kang: Can we meet with the owner of this phone?  
Hana Kang: I’m here to find her.   
V:... We’ll talk about that when we meet. 

“What’s going on…” Hana whispers to herself, putting the phone down. Her shoulders feel tight. She’d come here to find the owner of the phone, but things are getting weirder instead. Really, really weird. How did she end up in a chatroom with these people? Why did they have a private chatroom in the first place?

Thirty minutes later, Hana sits at the restaurant. The place is quiet, adorned with dark wood and plants that manage to ease her anxiety, if only a little. Her stomach growls at the smell of food. She’d left all her stuff except for the phone upstairs, including her wallet (not that she’d be able to buy anything on the menu anyway). She didn’t want this V man to see she didn’t have a place to stay. 

A bright head of mint catches Hana’s eye, and she looks over to see a man she’s sure must be V. Everything about him resembles his profile picture: the mint hair, the sunglasses, even the gray cardigan. He walks over to Hana’s table, and she stands to greet him.

“You must be Hana Kang, yes?” His voice is gentle.

Hana nods, nerves rising. “Yes.”

“My name is V, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Though I regret the circumstances, I would've liked it if we met with less trouble upon our shoulders. Shall we sit?”

Hana frowns, but she nods

“You must have a lot of questions, about who we are, what we do, and what your role is in all this.” the man says once they are both seated. 

Hana nods. She did know who these people were, which made the situation quite… wild, but that’s not what was on her mind right now. “Yes, but… I just came here looking for the owner of this phone, nothing more, I swear,” she says, sounding a bit more flustered than what she feels like.

V hums. “I see. Can you hand me the phone?”

She does so, before tangling her fingers together, hoping to release the tension inside her as she watches V examine the phone. 

“This is indeed Rika’s phone,” he says after a way too long instant. “Rika’s apartment is classified, so not even the members know about it,” he thinks out loud. “The property is under my name, but even I don’t know the code.”

Hana frowns, her confusion increasing. She thought the people she’d encountered were an idol group… but maybe they were more than that?

“The fact that you were led there makes me think that Rika wanted you to take over her work,” V continues. 

What? Hana thinks. But I’m not here for… I don’t want to… “Is miss Rika the person I met? I don’t understand why you’re saying all this if you’re not the person I’m looking for.” God, she just wanted to get this over with. This was not looking too good… all she wanted was to just return the phone, find a place to stay for the night, and leave this as a funny story she could tell people for a good laugh. Nothing more. 

V looks down before explaining. “Rika… was the leader of a group called Mystic Messenger. You might have heard of them before. They’re usually referred to as MysMe.”

Hana nods. She has heard of the group, even knows some of their songs. She can’t recall a Rika being in the group, though… strange. Leaders are usually the more well-known members, as they’re always representing the group in their activities. Then again, her knowledge of Mysme is only limited to their subunits, she never bothered to learn about the group as a whole. 

V continues. “As Mysme’s popularity grew, so did our influence, and more people became wary of us.”

Hana’s eyes soften. As a trainee, she was an insider on all the gossip of the idol world, she’d heard about plenty of bad drama. But, from V’s tone, she could tell that whatever this group had been involved in was not the usual celebrity scandal. Her spine tightened. She didn’t think this world could be dangerous. 

“Right now, I can’t tell you much about Rika,” V says, taking a sip of his water. “Instead... I’m hoping that you’ll join Mysme, and take over Rika’s work.”

Hana forgets how to breathe, her hands now clenching the fabric of her pants. What V is asking her to do… part of her wants to accept, obviously, but deep down she knows she could never do something like that. To lead a group, she is not adequate for such a task, she didn’t come here for a job… why is he asking her to do this?

“And if you do so….” V continues, “you may stay in that apartment.”

Hana flinches. This just feels like… like a kindness she doesn’t deserve, like something way too good to be real. 

“I don’t think that’s a bad deal.”

“I… I didn’t come with such intentions…” is all she can say. 

“I know,” he reassures, “but you’ve already been invited to our messenger, and we don’t know the identity of Unknown, the person who sent you here.” His tone turns stern. “This is also for the group’s-- and your-- safety. So, please. Stay under the terms that you’ll take over Rika’s work.”

Hana’s hands relax, and she looks down. She tries to breathe evenly, feeling her cheeks heating up. “Rika’s work… you mean lead a group?”

V shrugs. “Not necessarily lead, but we do need a creative voice. The group has been quite… stuck, ever since Rika’s leave.”

Hana shakes her head slightly, face red in embarrassment. “I apologize, but… I don’t know if--”

“I understand that you are quite new to this, and joining a group so suddenly, especially one with years of experience, can be quite daunting,” V says. “But please do not worry. I promise the group will welcome you with open arms, and aid you in every step of the way.”

Hana’s expression softens, breathing out. This isn’t a bad opportunity in the slightest, and she may have accidentally compromised the safety of a group from one of the biggest entertainment companies out there, as well as her own. This really is the best decision to make. Plus, she’s in desperate need of both a job and a place to stay. 

“... Alright,” she gives in, giving him a small ‘thank you’ bow. “I happened to need a place to stay, so thank you.”

“I’ll tell the other members you’ll be joining the group,” V says. He gives her a small smile. “Welcome.”

Hana smiles back, muttering a low “thank you.” 

“We’ll reach you tomorrow morning to get started. See you then,” he says as he gets up to leave. 

“Wait…” she stops him, “I was meaning to ask, are you also a member of the group? Or…”

V shakes his head. “No, I am their manager… The members are Jumin, Jaehee, Yoosung, 707, and Zen. Jumin is currently the leader.”

Hana nods. “Well, see you soon,” she says to V before he leaves. Four boys and a girl… this is an interesting group, she thinks. Her stomach tightens, thinking about how they’ll take having another girl in her group… will they like it? Will their fans like it? Probably not, new members of groups are usually not welcomed well… What have I gotten myself into? 

The walk back to the apartment is hazy. Hana is barely aware of her surroundings, the exhaustion of the whole day finally settling on her. The day’s events replay in her mind, they feel like a dream, or the plot of a bad drama. She’d woken up this morning like any other day, only to find out she’d been fired from her company and left homeless. Now, she was going to sleep at a stranger’s apartment, with the promise of a debut, all thanks to a lost phone. 

As soon as she enters the apartment, she crouches into a ball on the bed, hugging her knees. God, what was she doing? How had she landed here, out of all places, inside the claws of a potentially dubious group? Everything about them was strange; their “influence,” Rika’s disappearance, the secret app, Unknown… Hana just hopes all of this gets solved soon. She hopes she can return the phone, meet the person again, become friends with her… her mind then drifts back to a few hours ago, to the safety of her embrace and the warmth of her presence. The memory soothes her, and she lays down on the bed. She wonders where miss Rika is now. As she drifts off to sleep, she prays silently, hoping Rika is safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> take a shot for every "strange" in this. i'll try ti get ch3 up soon. its spicy hehe


	3. New Trials

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hana shows Mystic Messenger's members what she's made of.
> 
> Some messages are taken from Chapter 3 of the webtoon "Invitation of Mystic Messenger."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heyyyyy im back 
> 
> anyway take this monster of a chapter that's like. 90% exposition and funky choreo descriptions!!

Blinding white light pulls Hana out of her slumber. She opens her eyes to look for the source; a large window across her bed. For a second, she is confused and looks around the studio apartment she woke up in. This isn’t my dorm… oh, wait. She shakes her head, remembering she didn’t fall asleep in her dorm last night… which was not even her dorm anymore. She was at Rika’s apartment.

Puffing out a breath, Hana gets up from the mattress-- queen-sized and memory foam, easily the most comfortable mattress Hana has ever slept in-- and goes through the motions of her morning routine. Dazed and half-alive, she moves carefully as she brushes her teeth and prepares herself breakfast. Every move feels somehow wrong as if she shouldn’t be here, doing this… she still can’t wrap her head around everything. She could barely sleep last night, mind ablaze with doubts, and now she’s woken up to another day of uncertainty. 

She sits on a couch next to a window to drink her coffee and try to ground herself. Today was her first day as an official member of a group-- well, not yet quite official, they still needed to go through all of the motions of a contract, but she was living in the previous leader’s secret apartment so this was as official as it got-- and she tensed, thinking of what lay ahead of her. What would her group be like? Would she be able to keep up? Hoping to ease her nerves and satisfy her curiosity, Hana decides to reach for her phone, open Metube, and look up Mystic Messenger. It wouldn’t hurt to see what the group was up to.

She finds herself watching a performance of their debut song, Mysterious Messages. It’s good, though average for a debut song, Hana thinks. Upbeat and charming. The lyrics talked about falling in love with someone over messages while solving a mystery. They’re cute, though with a hint of something darker between the lines. Hana chuckles, thinking of how much the song mirrored her current experience. Their performance as a group was flawless, all of them executed the upbeat dance to perfection, and their synchrony was like nothing Hana had ever seen. Was there any place for her? They all just fit together, moving like pieces of an impossible sculpture, balanced to create something nearly magical. 

The blonde kid’s fun, innocent expressions rivaled dark-haired Jumin’s allure, which in turn complimented the charming aura of the silver-haired man Hana guessed was Zen. Then, there was one red-haired member who was particularly playful in his moves, adding color to the performance. Rika was something else entirely, performing with the largest smile on her face, joy exuding from every move she made. She was truly worthy of that center position. Hana couldn’t help but be drawn by her, she moved in a way in which only those who truly loved what they did could. And then there was Jaehee, movements steady and precise, not really in the spotlight, but holding the group like a foundation. Hana wondered for a second why she was singing only the minor vocal parts, she knew how versatile her voice was. Until the final chorus’s adlibs came, that’s when Hana went oh. That woman had insane vocal control. 

After the performance was over, and the camera had gone through each member’s ending fairy (Zen winked in a way that made Hana’s stomach tingle, and the redhead’s tongue sticking out made her laugh), Hana decides to look through the comments. Most are in English, others in Portuguese or Spanish or French. Their international fanbase must be huge, she thinks, maybe I should press harder on my language-learning… The idea didn’t excite her in the slightest. 

She decided to take a look through their official Youtube channel, too. There’s the usual dance practices, covers, and vlogs. Hana frowns, seeing the last video is from five months ago. “Strange,” she thinks out loud. It’s the dance practice for Jumin and Jaehee’s subunit song, a choreography she knew by heart after having to do it for one of her evaluations. There was nothing after that.. maybe they were active elsewhere? Or had they gone on hiatus? V did say the group needed a creative voice.

A ding distracts her from her musing, coming from Rika’s phone. It’s a notification from the messenger app, alerting her Jaehee opened a new chatroom. Startling, she unlocks the phone, only to be bombarded by texts.

Jaehee Kang: Hello  
Jaehee Kang: I got the message from V. He told us you’ve decided to become a member of Mystic Messenger. Congratulations and welcome.  
Jaehee Kang: I heard that you’ll be taking over Rika’s work.  
Jaehee Kang: I believe it would be for the best to explain your responsibilities as a group member, but I’m worried because, frankly, I’m not sure if you are a trustworthy person or not. It’s only yesterday that you’ve stumbled upon our group.  
Jaehee Kang: I hope you do not take this offensively. 

Hana jumps at the quickness of the messages. She gets where Jaehee’s coming from, she is wary of the group, too, but the woman isn’t giving her any time to adjust. Her hands fidget as she thinks of something to say. She loses focus when someone else enters the chatroom. Hana’s brows furrow. Who is it this time?

ZEN: Jaehee’s only saying that because she’s a meticulous person lolol.  
ZEN: Shall we change the mood with my handsome face?

Zen sends a selfie in what looked like a cafe table, hand resting in his chin with his face slightly tilted. Hana’s heartbeat quickens, he must be one of the most beautiful men she’s seen in her life. His face is sharply angled, with soft eyes and perfectly sculpted lips. He is indeed handsome, Hana thinks. 

Jaehee Kang: :eyesemoji:  
Jaehee Kang: Welcome, Zen.   
Jaehee Kang: Zen’s selfies are always lifelong keepsake-worthy photos.   
ZEN: Thank you, Jaehee.  
ZEN: They call me the “otherworldly visual” for a reason.  
ZEN: :winkemoji:  
Jaehee Kang: Rightfully so, your beauty is quite otherworldly.

Hana snorts, a little flustered. They were just going to flirt like that, in the chatroom? Someone new enters then. It’s Jumin. 

Jumin Han: Ah, here you are.  
Jaehee Kang: Were you looking for me?  
Jumin Han: Yes.   
Jumin Han: I needed to discuss some things with you before leaving for the company, about the comeback plan.  
Jumin Han: I heard that Hana will be joining the group as the creative director. 

Hana’s eyes jump out of her sockets. Comeback? V had never said anything about a comeback… though she supposes they have to have one at some point. He also never said anything about her being the creative director of anything… What was this about?

Yoosung has entered the chatroom.  
Yoosung: Hello!!  
Yoosung: Huh, is everyone saying their hellos…?

Hana takes a look at his profile picture. He’s the blond guy, and quite attractive. Though, if she thinks about it, everyone in the group is very attractive…

Yoosung: Wait, we’re having a comeback?!?  
Yoosung: Is that true?!  
Yoosung: :shockemoji:  
Jumin Han: Actually, we were going to call up a meeting today to discuss that.   
Jumin Han: Everyone, please head to the practice room by 9:30

Hana’s heartbeat quickens, and she brings a hand up to her mouth. So they’re really having a comeback… With shaking hands, she starts to type a response before being stopped by Jaehee.

Jaehee Kang: Hana, can you come to our office by 10 A.M.?  
Jaehee Kang: If you can come to the address I’m about to send you, head over to the reception and they’ll guide you from there.   
Jaehee Kang: Once you meet the members, we’ll discuss how we’ll go about preparing the comeback.   
Jaehee Kang: Address

Hana bites her lip. This was all maybe just a little bit surreal, and likely a prank of some sort, but she’d come this far already. With shaking fingers, she types a response.

Hana Kang: Okay.  
Hana Kang: I’ll be there. 

She smiles, reading the stream of messages that follow. 

Jumin Han: Then I’ll see you soon.   
Yoosung: I wonder if Seven will be there. See you soon, Hana!!  
ZEN: I’ll drag him out of bed if I have to lol.  
ZEN: see you at 10, my lady.   
ZEN: :winkemoji:

After leaving the chatroom, Hana puts the phone aside and presses her palms to her knees. She’s pretty sure her heart will explode out of her throat any moment. Her nerves are rising by the second, making it difficult to think… she’s really about to go to the Cheritz building, to meet with a group. Her group. 

Hana takes her time getting ready, mixing and matching her small set of clothes to find the outfit that will give off the best impression. She needed to come across as someone prepared, diligent, ready to give it her all. She had already come into the group in a less than ideal way, she has to make them trust her. She will make herself worthy of her position. 

___________

As she approaches the Cheritz Ent. building, Hana has to remind herself she isn’t dreaming for what feels like the hundredth time in twenty-four hours. She looks up at the iconic cherry logo stamped on the skyscraper, takes in the multiple ad screens surrounding it, advertising the company’s artists and their projects. Zen’s new play called “Zorro.” A comeback teaser for Eri, one of their soloists. The largest billboard, the one right next to the entrance, has a picture of Mystic Messenger, sans Rika. Giddy, and perhaps a little flustered, Hana enters the company. 

It doesn’t take her long to find the reception desk, but she finds herself speechless when the lady there asks her if she needs help with anything. She looks around, thinking of what to say. Should she say she’s here to meet with Jaehee? Or V, since he’s their manager?

“Excuse me, miss Hana Kang?” someone says to her left.

Hana is even more speechless at the sight of Jaehee Kang approaching her. Seeing Mysme’s female member, a renowned performer in the industry, her groupmate, just brings it all to reality for Hana. “Yes… it’s Jaehee, right?” is all she can say. 

“Indeed. It’s a pleasure to meet you in person,” she says, giving Hana a small bow. Flustered, she returns it. They both start walking to the elevators. “Welcome to Cheritz. The other members are all waiting upstairs, and they’re quite excited to meet you. There’s… a lot for us to discuss before proceeding.”

Hana finds herself quickening up her pace to keep up with her, face heating up in what she decides is a mix of anticipation and awe at the woman now guiding her through the office. As a trainee, it was not strange for Hana to see other idols, as it was pretty common to see her fellow trainees go to debut, but encountering seniors-- experienced performers-- was always flustering. Meeting Jaehee is no different. She carries herself with an air of both cold professionalism and fiery confidence, asserting her presence with every step she took. As if she owns the ground she walks on, and nothing or no one could tear her down. The thing that shocks Hana the most though, is that she is only a year older than her, yet looks like she’s got life wrapped around her pinky finger… Hana could never imagine being so confident at such an early age. Jaehee Kang is a hall-of-fame idol, with gracefully sculpted muscles and an aura that could forge steel. She is the ideal woman, everything Hana wishes to be. 

Jaehee gives her a quick tour of what’s on each floor as they go up the elevator. Floor two has a dining hall, with “all sorts of options to keep the company’s artists in the best health.” Floor three was mostly trainee rooms, and some studios used for livestreams. Floors four and five are artist studios, and six to ten are offices and meeting rooms (“the room where it happens,” Jaehee called them, Hana didn’t know if she was deliberately referencing a musical or not). Floors eleven and twelve were for production and mixing. 

“Luciel has promised to give you a proper tour later on,” she says as they exit on the fifth floor, “but for now, we need to get to business.”

“Luciel?” Hana asks, frowning. They walk past multiple practice rooms, some of them busy. Hana tries glancing at them, but Jaehee’s pace doesn’t slow. 

“707’s real name,” she clarifies. “It’s rather… strange, but it’s the most normal one he has.”

Hana ‘oohs’ as they turn a corner, approaching a large practice room. Music is blaring out from a speaker, loud and upbeat, and voices sing over it. Hana can’t help but smile, are these the Mysme members? Then, a deeper voice reprimands them, and the music turns off. Huffing out a breath, Jaehee opens the door. 

“You guys really couldn’t keep things calm for two whole minutes… are you serious?” Jaehee reprimands as they enter. The room they’re in is impossibly wide, with white marley covering the floors and a floor-to-ceiling mirror to their left. The wall opposite to that holds a light-up cherry logo. Across from it sit Mysme’s other four members, which Hana can’t help but smile at. They return the gesture, Yoosung giggling a bit while Zen smirks in a way that makes Hana tingle. Jumin doesn’t pay her any mind, focusing instead on Jaehee and Seven’s bickering. 

“Come on… we were just having some fun! Getting into it, y’know?” the redhead retorts, to which the brunette just rolls her eyes before going to lean back in the mirror, next to Zen. “Plus, we have a new member…” he says, facing Hana. “Isn’t that a cause for celebration?”

“We will celebrate once we’ve finished her assessment,” Jumin says, holding up a hand. His speaking voice is just like his singing voice, Hana notes. Deep, with an edge of cold to it. It makes her tense. 

Seven pouts. “You’re such a party pooper, Jumin.” He goes to sit next to Yoosung. 

“Agreed, and also, you should be a little bit less of an emotionless prick to our new member. She’s looking like a scared puppy right now,” Zen says, in a rather accusing tone. Hana swallows, embarrassed, before attempting to relax her face. Did she look that nervous?

“Don’t worry, Jumin’s usually an ass like that,” he says, facing Hana. She snorts, hoping the man can’t see her reddening cheeks. Embarrassment is not a good look for a newcomer.

“It’s alright, I’ve had worse bosses,” she chastises. Jumin raises a condescending brow to Zen, who just frowns at her.

“Is that even possible?” Jaehee mutters, earning a small chuckle from Yoosung, and a sigh from Jumin. Hana tenses, rolling on the balls of her feet. Is Jumin that bad?

As if answering, he looks over to her, brows turned up slightly, before saying, “First of all, Zen, this is not the time for you to be immature, I’m trying to discuss business here. We came here to settle things with Hana and that’s what we will do.” He turns to Hana, who straightens. “Now, Hana, V told us you’ve been a trainee for over two years now.”

She nods. “Yes, I entered my old company in early 2018, but have had to take leave yesterday.”

Yoosung gasps lightly, eyes pained. Hana quirks up a brow. “You left your company? I’m so sorry about that…”

She smiles, glad for his compassion. “Yes, it’s very unfortunate… which is why I am so glad for this opportunity.”

Jumin’s lips quirk up the slightest bit. “Two years is usually enough time for a trainee to debut… most members here have had three or four years, I myself had eight before debut, but we have some who’ve trained for short times too. Zen had been training for seven months before joining and Jaehee for around three, I believe.”

Hana’s eyes nearly jump out of their sockets. “You trained for only three months?” she says to Jaehee. 

“Professionally, yes. For three months and one survival show season,” she states, as if it’s something every person does. 

Hana gasps and Jumin continues. “Which means, you’ll have something to bring to the table. So, tell us, please, what can you do? Did you train for a certain position?” 

“I was a dancer,” Hana says. 

“Ooh, awesome!” Zen exclaims, “finally someone to do freestyle duets with me.” He looks over to Jaehee. who huffs with a little “come on.”  
Hana purses her lips, not knowing how to react. “I mean… I enjoy freestyling, so if you wanna do that…” she says. Though doing it with someone she barely knows will be very awkward. Zen just smiles. 

“Well, continuing,” Jumin says, “we’d like to see you perform something, to assess your skill.”

Hana’s brows rise, and she blinks a few times. She had expected some sort of… demonstration, but maybe later on, not as the first thing she did with Mysme. But Jumin was the down-to-business type, it seemed. “Well, uh… I can freestyle if you’d like--”

“Actually, before anything else, what style do you think is your strongest suit?” Jumin interrupts.

Hana frowns, thinking on the question for a second. “I feel most confident in street jazz, I’m very familiar with girl group choreography.” This earns a brow raise from Seven and a lick of lips from Jaehee, who then looks to Jumin. Quickly, Hana adds, “but recently I’ve been more into jazz-funk and hip hop and such, which are more in tune with fourth-generation choreography.” 

This time, Jaehee talks. “Do you perhaps have anything you can show us right now?” Se uses the same business tone as Jumin. 

Hana perks up. She does know a handful of choreos and starts counting them on her fingers while bobbing in her toes. “I know Blue Velvet’s ‘Crazy,’ Once’s ‘Elegant,’ Monthly Girl’s ‘What about it,’ Eye Zone’s ‘Party’...”

“Actually, uh,” Jaehee interrupts, “we do have a… particular style to our choreography. Are you familiar with any of our repertoire?”

Hana stops, thinking for a second. She doesn’t know any of their group choreographies…

“You are familiar with our music, right?” Yoosung says, in a rather condescending way, which gets him bad looks from the other members. 

“I am,” Hana says. “And I don’t know any of your group choreos… the only one I know is Vogue.”

Jaehee and Jumin both startle at the mention of their song. They catch each other’s eyes, perhaps communicating something Hana can’t catch. Then, after a nod, Jumin says “Although it’s rather a different style from what the full group does, we’d like to see you perform it. Luciel, connect the sound, please”

Seven jumps up from his seat, heading over to a corner of the room. Hana licks her lips, heart racing at the prospect of performing the song in front of the artists who sang it. How heavily will they be judging her skills? “Alright,” she says. “Just the dance, right? I’m afraid I’m not super familiar with the lyrics”

“Just the dance for now,” Jumin says, right as Jaehee brings a chair over to her. Hana is now breathing heavily, hands leaning over the chair. Evaluations of any kind never failed to shoot her nerves up to the roof, and surprise evaluations doubled that. And now, she was being evaluated by potential groupmates. But this song was a trial she’d already passed. She could do this again. She ran over the steps through her mind quickly, symbolizing the moves with her hands. 

“All done,” Seven said. “Just tell me when you want me to start the music!”

Carefully, Hana goes to sit in the chair, legs crossed, and face resting on the back of her hand. She tries to make her face as coy as possible, although she doesn’t feel the mood of the piece as much without the blazer, part of the costume. 

“You can play it now,” she tells Seven and takes one deep breath. 

“All riiiiight then, show us how you grind!” he says and presses a button on the radio.

The music begins, slow, heavy beats kicking Hana’s muscle memory into action. She moves sharply, smoothly, like wine swirling on a glass, contorting and stretching her legs on the chair before getting up with a complex leg cross move. She walks forward, sulking in the sultriness of the song, hips swaying with each step and eyes fierce and wanting. The music speeds up and so does her footwork, feet crossing and sliding, arms moving like waves from her back. A sharp note hits, kicking off a series of arpeggios, setting Hana’s blood on fire. This is her favorite part of the song, the sharp, fierce poses, and she loses herself completely to the movement, arching her back and playing with her hair, eyes narrowed, saying “come and get it.” This is her element. 

The members’ eyes don’t move from Hana, each of them amused in their own way. Yoosung is openly gaping, blinking rapidly. Zen leans forward as if he can’t look at Hana close enough, like he wants to see deeper, see more. Seven has his brows raised and mouth pursed, clearly satisfied with her performance. Jaehee’s eyes are wide and her mouth is ever so slightly quirked up, she almost looks proud. Even Jumin reacts, brows raised and mouth slightly agape. Seven catches this look and giggles, to which Jumin retorts with a hushed “cut it.”

Hana pays their reactions no mind, focusing entirely on the dance, now on the chorus which is significantly less moved, hand gestures complemented by simple footwork allowing her to smile and even lip sync a bit. The second verse begins, and Hana glides back to the chair, dramatically stepping one foot on it. She taps it twice, pure sass, before bringing her other leg in to stand in a crouch on the chair. From there, she decides to place her whole focus on not falling, executing the complicated chair tricks with little flare, but still earning a “Woah” from Yoosung. Then comes the second chorus, which she manages to make even sexier than the first, adding a little wink at the end. Zen whistles at that. 

Retreating to her chair for the bridge, she sways her shoulders, turning the focus of her movement inward as if she’s dancing for herself. This is the slow part, the clam before the fiery dance break where she once again emerges with a hair toss and a coy smile. Every dance move then lands like a blade, sharp and nearly defiant. The last chorus is pure bliss, Hana drowning in a confidence she can only ever feel when performing. Briefly, she remembers this is what she loved so much about Vogue: it made her feel untouchable, all-powerful, infinite. 

The song ends, and Hana is panting, but she’s strangely satisfied. This went way better than she thought it would. The Mysme members seem to agree, all of them clapping, Seven even woos. She smiles, a warm sensation filling her up. They are satisfied, they are happy. She did well. She does a small bow, before clutching her hands together and eyeing the members, expecting their next move. 

Jumin takes a step closer to her. “That was quite satisfactory, Hana,” he says, “You certainly managed to… add your own personality to the piece.”

Hana frowns, not knowing if his words are a thinly veiled insult or a badly worded compliment. She still gives him a “thank you” with a small smile. 

“Oh my god, don’t be like that,” Zen says, then turns to Hana. “Hana, that was… it was revolutionary. It was incredible!” He splays his arms wide for emphasis. “You are literally a goddess.”

Hana giggles at his compliment, cheeks hot. “Oh wow, thank you so much… I haven’t done this piece in a few weeks, so this was nerve-wracking.”

“Oh wow, really?” This time it’s Seven, frowning. “didn’t look like it!”

“Yeah!” Yoosung exclaims. “You’re so good, you could even replace Jaehee!”

Hana raises her brows at that, flustered, feeling the heat spread to her neck. She looks over to Jaehee, who just sighs before turning to Hana, ignoring Yoosung’s comment.

“That was a wonderful performance, Hana,” she says, and Hana feels her stomach flutter, Somehow her comment hits differently… after all, she was the one who Hana studied so thoroughly to get the piece right. “Your style is quite unique, I’m glad we have such a talented dancer in our group.”

“That’s… Thank you, really.” Hana feels like she’s going to melt at any moment, she’s not used to such flattery. “And thank you too, Yoosung, though I doubt I’d be able to sing as well as Jaehee.”

“Oh, I’m sure you can,” he chides, which makes Hana’s back tense. “Good dancers are usually good singers, too.”

Hana turns her eyes away from him, rolling her feet. “I’d say singing is my weak spot, actually. I have always been more of a dancer.”

“Hm, that’s understandable,” Jaehee says. Then, eyeing Zen, “Not all of us can be aces.”

He snorts. “You’re absolutely right. Tough I bet your voice is still lovely, Hana. Pretty girls usually have pretty voices.”

Hana shakes her head. Why is this boy so flirty? She’s flattered by the compliment, yes, but also wishes they’d all stop prodding on the subject of her voice. She didn’t wake up ready for a vocal evaluation. 

“I suppose…” Jaehee continues, “but the goal, in the end, is to keep improving. To exercise your weaknesses and use your strengths.”

Hana nods. Jaehee’s right. Jumin the cuts in. “If you’re having trouble with anything, we will help you with it,” he says. “Jaehee can help you with vocal technique and Zen with dance. Though you seem quite experienced in that department.”

“Oh, that’s good,” Hana says. She’s definitely going to need some vocal coaching, and Jaehee seems like she’d be a good coach. Hana turns to her, who is frowning lightly at Jumin.

“So… we have a new main dancer?” Seven says after an instant of silence. Hana frowns, shoulders tightened slightly. She wasn't expecting something as big as the main dancer.

“Woah…Seems like I’ll have to share positions,” Zen says to Hana. She snorts to mask her discomfort. 

“Oh come on, Zen!” Yoosung whines. “You’re main dancer, center, visual, lead vocal… you deserve to share!”

Zen opens his mouth to retort, probably with a snarky comment, Hana thinks, but then Jaehee speaks up. “What’s the problem with his positions, if he’s clearly worthy of every single one of them?” Zen raises his eyebrows at that, giving Jaehee the reason. “And I think having two main dancers is a great idea, it will allow for some interesting partnering in choreos,” she says with a slight smile at Hana’s direction. She returns it, thinking partnering with Zen won’t be bad…

“Actually, I was thinking to appoint her as the lead dancer,” Jumin says. All eyes turn to him, Zen’s expression defeated. Something stirs in Hana at his anticipation of working with her... “At least, for now, until she is more experienced as a performer,” Jumin continues, pulling her from her thoughts. “As well as a sub-vocalist, as it will do us good to have another female voice.”

Hana nods. This sounds reasonable… and exciting. She finds herself smiling, things are finally starting to come together. “That sounds great, actually,” she says.

“Excellent,” he nods, “Jaehee, could you message V and tell him to put that arrangement in the contract, please?”

“Will do,” she says, pulling out her phone. Briefly, Hana wonders why Jumin doesn’t just do it himself, but then she finds Seven standing in front of her. 

“Soooo, I think now we can finally say ‘Welcome to Mystic Messenger!’” He has the widest grin on his face, and Hana laughs, infected by his joy. 

The other members do the same, all smiling brightly. Yoosung sprouts out a cheery “Welcome!”, while Zen adds a “lovely lady” in a flirtatious tone to his. Jumin and Jaehee are both more formal, saying they look forward to working with her. She thanks them all in kind, asking them to take good care of her. Their smiles say they will.

For a moment, Hana is enveloped in the safety she so yearned to feel since last morning. Her life doesn’t seem like such a loss anymore, now that she’s found them. They’ve got her back, and for now, things will be alright. Maybe in the future, Hana thinks, they’ll all become something like a family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kang hana main dancer of the generation
> 
> pls leave comments/suggestions/whatever if u enjoyed this!! tysm for reading

**Author's Note:**

> anyway.... hana and rika gfs


End file.
